BSc Mathematics

Entry requirements

Accepted English tests

No English test required: Bachelor programmes are taught mainly in French. EPFL requires French at CEFR level B2 for its Bachelor programmes (C1 highly recommended), and foreign applicants who did not study French in upper secondary school must submit a French language competence certificate with the application. No list of accepted French certificates or minimum scores found on the official admission pages.

How grades are compared

China (country outside EU/EFTA/UK): scientific-stream upper secondary school-leaving certificate with final grades in mathematics and physics at least 80% of the maximum grade and a general average at least 80% of the maximum grade. This only makes the applicant eligible for the Cours de mathématiques spéciales (CMS) foundation year, not direct entry to Bachelor year 1 (https://www.epfl.ch/education/admission/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Conditions-CMS.pdf)

Other requirements

Route for Chinese qualifications: holders of an upper secondary certificate from a country outside the EU, EFTA and UK (incl. China) cannot be admitted directly to Bachelor year 1. If the certificate meets the China criteria (general-education pre-university title after at least 12 years of schooling incl. 3 years upper secondary, scientific stream, at least six of the seven required subjects on the final transcripts, maths and physics at highest level, 80% minimums), they can be accepted, after evaluation and within the places available, to the CMS, a one-year preparatory year taught entirely in French. Passing the CMS gives access without condition or capacity limit to every EPFL Bachelor programme. Alternatively the EPFL entrance exam is open to them with no conditions or capacity limit: next session scientific subjects 18-22 January 2027, general-knowledge subjects August-September 2027, registration 1 October to 1 December 2026, registration tax CHF 150 for foreign certificates, exam tax CHF 550 (reduced) or CHF 800 (full). EPFL strongly discourages taking the exam with upper secondary schooling as sole preparation. IB holders: direct year-1 admission within places available with at least 38/42 points excluding bonus, Mathematics and Physics at HL with grades at least 6, plus chemistry, biology or computer science at HL and first modern language, second modern language and history, geography, economics or philosophy at SL or HL. International A-levels accredited by a third-party state (CIE, Edexcel, OxfordAQA, LRN) are assessed like non-EU/EFTA/UK certificates (CMS route), while non-accredited international A-levels and Pre-U only via the entrance exam. First-year places are capped at 3000 from 2025 for at least four years. People who have begun or completed higher education or a foundation course cannot in principle enter the CMS (entrance exam still possible). French: B2 required, C1 highly recommended. Application: online form validated and paid by 30 April (fee CHF 150 for foreign certificates) with photo, ID, grade sheets from the last two years of upper secondary, French certificate; final certificate and transcripts by 10 July (exceptionally 30 September). Documents not in English, French, German or Italian need legalized translations.